TIES Activities Report: Our Projects and Milestones in 2008

Uniting Conservation, Communities and Sustainable Travel

EcoCurrentsSustainable development, capacity building & community well-being

Edition 29

Ecotourism Training Center, Thailand

Eco Training, South Africa

Huaorani Ecolodge, Ecuador

Ecomantra, India

Rainforest Expeditions, Peru

Mai Kana Project, Fiji

Ecotourism: “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” (TIES, 1990)

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Dear TIES Members, As 2008 comes to a close, on behalf of our TIES team and Board of Directors, we wish you a healthy and happy holiday season! This past year has been challenging on many fronts, from the wars fought to pressing environmental issues, to the eco-nomic downturn in so many na�ons - we have all felt the im-pact of global situa�ons affec�ng our local communi�es. We believe that ecotourism is one of the mechanisms to assist biodiversity conserva�on, which ul�mately improves the health and well-being of all who inhabit the planet. In the coming year, we remain commi�ed to suppor�ng commu-nity efforts in conserva�on through educa�on and training. We have been encouraged by efforts made through the Partnership for the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) and the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council in 2008, and planned progress for 2009. These ini-�a�ves, as well as those of many others are moving the travel and tourism industry to a new level of sustainability. At TIES, we con�nue our commitment to these programs, and we look forward to communica�ng the progress made as we move into 2009. We also look forward to hearing from you and the great work so many members have accomplished around the globe! Thank you for your con�nued support! Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year 2009!

Kelly Bricker, Chair, TIES Board of Directors

TIES Principles of Ecotourism• minimize impact • build environmental and cultural awareness and respect • provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts • provide direct financial benefits for conservation • provide financial benefits and em-powerment for local people • raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social cli-mate. (TIES, 1990)

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In This Issue6

Ecotourism Training Center: Leading by Example Reid Ridgway, Ecotourism Training Center, Thailand

Huaorani Ecolodge: Providing a New Model for Community Tourism in Latin America Gerard Coffey, Tropic Journeys in Nature,Ecuador 12

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Lessons from Nature: Experiential learning at EcomantraMahrukh Goel,India

Could More Problems Mean MORE Solutions?Jorge Espinoza Rainforest Expeditions, Peru 16

18 Mai Kana: Linking Pacific Island Agriculture and TourismTracy Berno, Oceania Sustainable Tourism Alliance

EcoTraining: It’s not only about wildlife training Taflin Tiley, EcoTraining, South Africa

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TIES Activities Report: Our Projects and Milestones in 2008The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

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EcoCurrents is the quarterly e-magazine of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), featuring current industry trends, best practice examples and critical issues in ecotourism and responsible travel. As the world’s oldest and largest inter-national ecotourism association, TIES seeks to be the global source of knowledge and advocacy uniting communities, conservation, and sustainable travel. As a non-profit industry association, TIES serves its members in over 90 countries.

TIES members of all levels receive the EcoCurrents e-Magazine as part of their membership benefits. To learn more about TIES’ membership levels and benefits, see www.ecotourism.org or contact: membership@ecotourism.org.

TIES Board of Directors: Kelly Bricker, Chair • Tony Charters, Vice Chair • Andrew Fairley, Treasurer • Richard Denman, Secretary • Sylvie Blangy • Glenn Jampol • Karen Lewis • Hitesh Mehta • Keith Sproule • Wolfgang Strasdas • Masaru Takayama • Louise Twinning-Ward • Carolyn Wild

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

As the world’s oldest and largest ecotourism organi-za�on, TIES is commi�ed to promo�ng the princi-ples of ecotourism and responsible travel. With the goal of uni�ng conser-va�on, communi�es and sustainable travel, TIES serves its members in over 90 countries as the global source of knowledge and advocacy in ecotourism.

Our Mission:TIES promotes responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people by:- Crea�ng an interna�onal network of individuals, ins�tu�ons and the tourism industry;- Educa�ng tourists and tourism professionals; and - Influencing the tourism industry, public ins�tu�ons and donors to integrate the princi-ples of ecotourism into their opera�ons and policies.

Our Team:TIES Staff: Jon Bruno, Director of Finance • Mikael Castro, Director of Special Events • Ayako Ezaki, Director of Communica�ons • Julia Fisher, ecoDes�na�ons Manager • Ferdinand Weps, Director of Membership & Opera�ons

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TIES Association Members

Europe: Business and the Environment linked through Small Scale Tourism (BESST) • Ecotourism Norway • Ecotourisme France • Eco-turismo Italia • Swedish Ecotourism Society • Tilos Park Association, Greece

Eastern Europe & Central Asia: Association of Ecotourism in Romania (AER) • Armenian Ecotourism Association • Belarusian Association of Agro and Ecotourism • Central Balkan Kalofer Ecotourism Association • Estonian Ecotourism Association • Kamchatka Ecotourism

Society • Murghab Ecotourism Association (META), Tajikistan

Middle East & North Africa: Iran Ecotourism Society • Ecotourism Israel

Sub-Saharan Africa: Benin Ecotourism Concern (ECO-BENIN) • Ecotourism Society of Ehiopia • Ecotourism Society of Nigeria • Ecotour-ism Kenya • Iringa Ecotourism Society • Nigeria Ecotourism Foundation

South Asia: Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism (CAMAT) • Discover Nepal • Ecotourism Society of Sri Lanka • Ecotourism Society Pakistan • Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) • Himalayan EcoTourism Society • Sri Lanka Ecotourism

Foundation

South East Asia: Cambodia Community-Based Ecotourism Network (CCBEN) • Ecotourism Laos • Indonesian Ecotourism Network (INDECON) • Japan Ecolodge Association (ECOLA) • Japan Ecotourism Society • Kunigami Tourism Association (KUTA) - Okinawa, Japan

• Mongolian Ecotourism Society • National Ecotourism Center, Japan • Taiwan Ecotourism Association (TEA) • Thai Ecotourism & Adventure Travel Association

Oceania: Ecotourism Australia • Ecotourism NZ • Fiji Ecotourism Association

North America: Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association • BC Wilderness Tourism Association • Green Tourism Association • Hawaii Ecotourism Association • La Ruta de Sonora Ecotourism Association • Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA) • Society for

Ethical Ecotourism Southwest Florida • The Ontario Ecotourism Society (TOES), Canada

Cental America & the Caribbean: Asociación Ecoturismo Guatemala • Belize Ecotourism Association (BETA) • Camara Nacional de Ecoturismo de Costa Rica (CANAECO) • Mexican Association of Adventure Tourism & Ecotourism (AMTAVE) • Dominican Sustainable

Tourism Organization (ODTS) • Toledo Ecotourism Association

South America: Asociación Argentina de Ecoturismo y Aventura • La Asociación Ecuatoriana de Ecoturismo (ASEC) • EcoBrasil

TIES is proud to serve our national, regional, and local Association members. Providing the vital links between governments, NGOs, businesses and citizens, our partners in ecotourism associations are a crucial part of our efforts to further TIES’ mission. We offer complimentary Association-level membership to non-profit, non-governmental and multi-stakeholder associations with primary

focus on ecotourism and sustainable travel. For more information, contact: associations@ecotourism.org

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Ecotourism Associations around the World

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BY REID RIDGWAY

By the definitions of ecotourism, there are few grassroots organizations that outshine the Ecotourism Train-

ing Center (ETC) in Khao Lak, Thailand. The program is building local capacity for both the tourism industry and for marine conserva-tion, and it’s proven a powerful instrument of poverty alleviation as well. But it doesn’t stop there: ETC, as an educational outreach platform, is helping the whole community to better understand their coastal resources.

The Beginning

Emerging from the void left by the Indian Ocean tsunami 4 years ago, ETC has demon-strated effective ways to build opportunities for a community devastated by the waves that engulfed much of Southeast Asia in 2004.

The students of ETC are local disadvantaged young adults, often, though not always, deeply affected by the tsunami. The program is a nine-month intensive training program in English Lan-guage, Computer Skills, and Marine Conservation.

The students graduate with profession-al credentials as PADI undersea tour lead-ers, or SCUBA instructors in many cases, and are placed in jobs that pay them four to six times their previous earning power.

Marine Conservation

A recent report, REEFS AT RISK, co-authored by the World Resources Institute and the UNEP, and widely considered the seminal study on coral reef conservation, advocates in its conclusion that local reefs must be protected at local levels. Both capacity build-ing and community education are cited as nec-essary ingredients in the fight to save the reefs.

Learn more about ETC Website: www.etcth.org Email: reid@etcth.org Phone: +66 (0) 87 263-6016 (*drop the (0) for internation-al calls to Thailand) Mailing Address:Ecotourism Training Center (ETC)56/73-74 Pechakacem Road, Moo 5, Tamboon Khuk Khak, Amphur Takuapa, Phang-Nga Province, 82190Thailand

Ecotourism Training Center: Leading by Example

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The entire time the ETC students are in the program they work as an undersea labor force assisting their national parks, and marine protect-ed areas to implement conservation initiatives. They also perform any number of public education initia-tives—from teaching local fishermen about protecting coral reef to teach-ing young school children how to snor-kel and take care of the sea shore.

Milestones

The ETC students are also media stars and have enjoyed coverage from an astonishing array of sources including BBC World News, Discovery Channel, and over 100 of the world’s largest newspapers. Their stories have helped bring back tourism to the area, fur-ther assisting in the recovery process.

“...local reefs must be pro-tected at local levels. Both capacity building and com-

munity education are...necessary ingredients in

the fight to save the reefs.”

The Future

In the past, ETC has survived by dona-tions, but is now engineering a way to self-sustain its mission, through a com-mercial dive operation and tour-book-ing agency called SMART (Sustainable Marine Adventures & Responsible Tour-ism) (Web: www.smartecotours.com).

The SMART business plan recently re-ceived a top academic award at the Global Social Venture Competition,

stemming from the renowned Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

The idea is simple. SMART will offer a range of environmental tour activities to visitors, diving being a central of-fering, and the graduates of the ETC program will be the hosts and guides. 10% of SMART’s gross revenues will go directly to fund the ETC program.

Tourists will have a direct experi-ence with the people whose lives they are helping to change, and the students will have a natu-ral cause to be excellent hosts.

SMART, to be launched on January 1st, 2009, is now seeking investment part-ners with ambitions to expand SMART and ETC all over Southeast Asia. ETC has it all: Cultural respect, and exchange, poverty allevia-tion, environmental protection, capacity building for local peo-ple, community education, and it’s all fueled by ecotourism.

News article about ETC published on Gai-

aDiscovery.com

ETC Students Out in the sea

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ETC Student Story: Onuma Dareang

Photos by Reid Ridgway

Reid Ridgway is Managing Direc-tor of ETC. After gaining experi-ence as the marketing director for Reflective Arts division of Op-tical Media International, Reid founded Watershed Communi-cations a digital media produc-tion company, specializing in strategic marketing, brand iden-tity, and initial product launch. He produced and directed projects for Apple Computer, IBM, Grass Valley Group, Steven Spielberg, blues legend B.B. King, and many others. Three years prior to the Tsunami, Reid had semi-retired in Thailand, where he began a new life dabbling as a freelance journalist and profes-sional scuba instructor, enjoying the big change of pace. When the Tsunami devastated Southern Thailand, the pace swept him up again. Reid took immediate ac-tion to help people. And though the work has never stopped, he would be the first to say that choosing a path of helping others beats the stressful life of the cor-porate executive—hands down.

Onuma Dareang “On” is 24 years old. One of 4 siblings, On was born to a family of farmers

in Surathanee Province, Thailand.

Her father owns a modest bit of land, and grows a mixture of crops includ-ing rubber trees, palm trees for oil, and a variety of fruit trees, as well.

On’s family worked together for many years and saved enough money to send On to college. She was the first and only one of her family to ever get that opportunity. But when she grad-uated, she found that her highest job offers, were for 3 or 4 thousand baht per month (about $125 USD).

The family also took loans out to complete paying for her educa-tion. She heard through a friend of her family that she could learn Eng-lish from the ETC program for free.

She had struggled with English in col-lege, failing her courses and felt that she needed more study, but couldn’t afford to burden her family more money. When she interviewed for ETC, she couldn’t really speak a word of English except Hello.

She admitted that she couldn’t swim, and that she didn’t know if she would be able to learn div-ing, but that she was excited to try and would work hard to learn.

On finished the program 9 month later as a professional PADI dive-master, and was selected as one of 5 top students to go on to the Instructor Development Program, she didn’t feel that she was ready, and her English was still very weak.

Today On’s English is exceptional and she is the head of diving in-struction for the ETC program.

She has earned PADI second high-est instructor rating, and 5 specialty teaching credentials. She has taken 16 other young Thai people to the professional level and as-sisted in training 5 of them to be instructors like herself.

She makes about 5 times her pre-vious salary, and could earn even more in the private sector, but has chosen to stay with ETC because she loves the program. On says she can’t imagine any other job now.

Under Water: On’s first time underwater, learning to breathe without a mask.

On Land: Working as a staff instructor under PADI Course Director Chris Owen, On takes 5 oth-er young Thai ETC students to the instructor level

Read more ETC student stories at: www.etcth.org

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The International Ecotourism Society

I N T E R N S H I P

• Administrative

• Fundraising & Development

• Conference & Special Event Planning

• Training & Education

• Membership

• Communications

• Website & Graphic Design

• IT Support

interns must obtain the appropriate visas, and all

interns are responsible for travel to Washington, DC

and for their own accommodation and board while

in DC. For interns working in Washington DC, TIES

will reimburse costs of local travel to/from work and

home.

How To ApplyApplications are continually being accepted, so you

are welcome to apply any time. Send a cover letter,

resume/CV, contact information for 3 references,

and a 3-5 page writing sample to:

employment@ecotourism.org. Make sure to

indicate which internship area you are most

interested in and when you would be available to

intern.

Further information available at:

The International Ecotourism Society(TIES) offers internship opportunities year round for

you to contribute to ecotourism and to learn latest

industry trends and gain relevant work experience.

About Our InternshipsAll TIES internships are for a minimum of 3 months.

While most internship positions are located in

Washington DC, we welcome interns working

online from other locations. Overseas www.ecotourism.org

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BY TAFLIN TILEY

EcoTraining believes that we are running out of time on our planet in terms of hu-

mans’ practices and ways of living. So the mission is broader than local field guide training. We seek to instill an education and appreciation for the environment through training local and international learners; using com-munity-based concession for wilder-ness areas, and ensuring the learning experience is sustainable through an international community network. EcoTraining offers leading profes-sional Field Guide and other nature training programmes in South Africa. We ensure that the learners are of the right standard and training, and consider having the right philosophy and approach just as important as wildlife knowledge. Learners take the countless opportuni-ties given to them each day to spread the conservation ethic, and to realize the po-tential influence that they may have on others after completing a course. It’s not only about wildlife and nature; it’s also a cultural interchange for the learners. EcoTraining’s formal Field Guide and Nature Training programmes, ac-credited by the Field Guides Associa-tion of Southern Africa (FGASA), take

EcoTraining It’s not only about

wildlife training place at bush camps which collective-ly open the door to 66,000 hectares of stunning wilderness landscapes teeming with buffalo, elephant, rhi-no, lion and leopard as well as ante-lope and a huge diversity of birds. Not all the camps are accessible to regular tourists visiting the parks, as the focus is on wilderness areas that involve private conservation efforts and community-based employment. Selati Camp is situated on the banks of the Selati River in the 33,000 hec-tare Selati Game Reserve to the west of the Kruger National Park. Karongwe Camp is situated on the banks of the Karongwe River in the 9,000 hec-tare Karongwe Game Reserve, to the south-west of the Kruger National Park. Kruger Park Makuleke Camp is situ-ated in the 24,000 hectare Makule-ke concession in the far northern part of the Kruger National Park and the Limpopo Transfrontier Park. This area belongs to the Makuleke community, who were forced out of the area in 1968. After a lengthy proc-ess the land was finally re-instated to the community in 1998 on settle-ment of a land claims court case. Through EcoTraining’s courses, you will gain in-depth knowledge about nature, ecology and wildlife, but that is only one aspect of your learning experience.

It’s about absorbing nature, learn-ing how to interact with the en-vironment, and being part of the ecosystems. It’s about becoming in-tertwined with the natural environ-ment that sustains us and gives us air to breathe, water to drink and beauty to obtain peace and inspiration from. The bush is powerful and on the cours-es, you start to realize that the clut-ter of modern society’s trappings be-comes less relevant. There is a mental, emotional and spiritual shift towards respect, consideration and sensitiv-ity towards nature and your peers. EcoTraining is spreading our conserva-tion ethos and message beyond Afri-can soil - We have recently launched operations in Australia to offer more specialist nature-based courses. Australia tempts learners with the marine spectacle of its coastal reefs, the prolific birdlife of the floodplains, the extraordinary life in the deserts of the world’s driest continent, and the world’s oldest Indigenous culture. For more information: www.ecotraining.co.za (South Africa), and www.ecotrain-ingaustralia.com.au (Australia).

“Have we forgotten that wilderness is not a place, but a pattern of soul where every tree, bird and every

beast is a soul maker?” Ian McCallum

An Insight into EcoTraining’s Courses Paul de Thierry

– A former student, with a UK corporate background, who has completed three of EcoTraining’s courses For my part, the knowledge of fauna & flora, geology, human geography (including poli-tics) and the interconnection between all three, that I acquired with EcoTraining, proved invalu-able during my ten year career as an Invest-ment Banker in London, New York and Frankfurt. EcoTraining offers individuals from all walks of life more than a ‘good time’ - it also offers structured personal development. EcoTraining courses, such as FGASA Level 1 and Trails Guide provide great opportunities for cost-effective, structured, edu-cational and, most importantly, fun experiences.”

“Education comes naturally…”

Photos by EcoTraining

“In an increasingly pressurised western corpo-rate world, candidates applying for any po-sitions in any industry must demonstrate that

they possess qualities such as self-reliance, lateral thought and (an attribute often missing amongst the academically bright), basic common sense. I have found through my experience under-taken on three different EcoTraining courses, that the skills and knowledge acquired dur-ing a month in the bush often prove invaluable tools, not only for those seeking a career in the safari industry, but across the corporate world. For example, the ability to use various senses si-multaneously whilst making split-second decisions that are safety-critical, the ability to present one-self correctly equipped for a morning bush walk at 5:30am when you’ve already been up for an hour preparing breakfast and prepping a land rover, are organisational skills that are not fully developed. No individual will excel in education or the corpo-rate world unless he/she can motivate and organ-ise themselves correctly. EcoTraining offers each participant the chance to achieve many dif-ferent things in a relatively short space of time. Furthermore, as current economic events play themselves out, we realise that we are all part of a global community where deci-sions and developments in one part of the world have significant implications for the whole.

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Huaorani Ecolodge: Providing a New Model

for Community Tourism in Latin America

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Gerard Coffey is Conservation in Action Foundation consult-ant. For more information on Huaorani Ecolodge, contact: Jascivan Carvalho, General Manager, at m a n a g e r @ t r o p i c e c o . c o m or (593 2) 2234594 / 2225907.

BY GERARD COFFEY

The Huaorani have been around for a long time. Their exact origins are unknown, but ac-

cording to their oral history they arrived some thousand years ago at their present location in the North East of what is now Ecuador. Living as nomadic hunters and gatherers in an extensive terri-tory bounded by the Napo River in the North and the Cururay in the South, the Spanish conquest passed them by and they remained iso-lated until the end of the 1950s. Evangelical missionaries made the first contact, and after them came the oil companies and the log-gers. The Huaorani’s long-estab-lished territory suffered, pollu-tion became a problem, the forest was threatened, the tribe’s tradi-tional lifestyle began to be under-mined. The future looked very dim. In 1994, Welsh ecologist Andy Drumm became alarmed at the plight of this traditionally proud, defiant peo-ple. Working with Huaorani leader Moi Enomenga, (featured in Joe Kane’s book ‘Savages’), he founded a socially principled tour operator, Tropic Journeys in Nature (wwww.tropiceco.com), in order to work on a solution: community tourism. The result was an innovative part-nership promoting a new form of ecologically friendly development sensitive to Huaorani traditions. The venture began with the develop-ment of ‘Amazon Headwaters with the Huaorani’ operated since 1994. The programme proved a huge success and gathered a number of awards, in-cluding the TODO! Award in 1997 and the ecotourism showcase award in 2000. Success brought further plans, this time for a more permanent struc-ture both organizationally and con-cretely: Huaorani Ecolodge (www.huaorani.com), an ecotourism project to be co managed by Trop-ic and the Huaorani themselves. A tourism association was formed by the five communities

involved in the project, commu-nity members were trained and plans made to produce and sell crafts.After consultations a site was chosen and a lodge planned and built; it opened in January 2008. The project now provides work and alternative income, and a reason to protect the environment. As a bonus the year end profits will pay for health and education projects to be decided on by the women of the community. The social and environmental impor-tance of the work has not gone unrec-ognized. In November 2008 the project was awarded by LATA (Latin American Travel Association, www.lata.org) in the UK as the best sustainable tourism project of the year in Latin America. There is still a lot to be done: more training, promotion, and the strength-ening of the Huaorani tourism associ-ation are all crucial. But the creation of a new forest reserve of some 30,000 hectares will provide a boost, protect-ing the area’s precious wildlife and providing further stimulus to tourism. The People themselves will also be winners, their disappearance only a matter of time but with the advent of community ecotourism, and the support of Tropic, this vibrant group now seems to have time on its side.

The project now provides work and alternative in-come, and a reason to

protect the environment. As a bonus, the year end profits will pay for health

and education projects to be decided on by the

women of the community.

Huaorani Ecolodge received front page treatment in the weekend travel section of the prestigious UK daily The Guard-ian (October 2007): “Take me to the river - Under siege from oil companies and loggers, the Huaorani of Ecuador are fighting back - through ecotourism. Piers Moore Ede is the first to visit their Amazon lodge” (www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/oct/27/saturday.green).

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Photos by Eco Farm

The Huaorani

Our hosts have long inhabited the headwaters of the Amazon, living as nomadic hunters and gatherers with no outside contact until the end of the 1950s, and at least one clan continues to shun all contact with the outside world. According to their folklore, they migrated to this area a long time ago to escape from cannibals. The Huaorani speak a language unre-lated to any other; their name means “the people”, while everyone else is cowore, or “non-human” (that’s you). In 1956, when the Huaorani became the last of Ecuador’s indigenous peo-ples to be contacted by missionar-ies, their territory extended from the Napo River in the north to the Curaray River in the south. After the missionaries, the oil compa-nies came looking for new reserves as the global demand for fossil fu-els increased. The Huaorani live on top of one of Ecuador’s largest oil deposits and since its discovery have been forced to deal with the presence of oil companies and other outsiders on the land they have called home for at least a thousand years. Numbering approximately 2,400 individuals, the Huaorani maintain a largely traditional lifestyle liv-ing directly in and from the rain-forest. Nowadays, their territory - some 680,000 ha/1.7 million acres -- is only about one third the size of their traditional land, and they have no oil or mineral rights. The first official Huaorani protectorate was created in 1983, and the cur-rent much larger Huaorani Ethnic Reserve was established in 1990, at which time they formed the Organ-ización de Nacionalidad Huaorani de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana (ONHAE) to defend their interests, and in 2007 changed the name to Nacion-alidad Waorani del Ecuador (NAWE).

(Source: www.huaorani.com)

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a live snake in his hands, one is tempt-ed to shed off his fear and try the same. Some of our most successful experiential pro-grams include: Snake Awareness and Common Wildlife around Us; the Tribal Art Workshop, which brings one closer to the lifestyle of tribes in Maharashtra through their simple paintings in huts; the Hut Building Program; the Coconut and Bamboo Handicraft Work-shops; Clay Modelling for Ganesha Idols; and Holi Naturally, a workshop on making natural colours during the Holi festivals. Ecomantra has also created its own unique training modules, as part of our efforts to make outdoor management training pro-grams exciting and accessible. One module on wildlife even has a name that sounds exciting and adventurous: the Jungle Book. Another module is called Sholay Adventures – based on one of Bollywood’s most success-ful movie in the backdrop of wild mountains. We also design Theatre workshops on the theme of nature, which involve role play and learning sessions, enjoyed with a great deal of laughter and fun. One of the most important goals of our experiential programs is to bring people closer to the wonders of nature and with those who live closely with nature, be-cause we believe that without awaken-ing this inherent love for nature among visitors, no amount of awareness on conser-vation would convince people to take action.

BY MAHRUKH GOEL

At Ecomantra, we believe that Na-ture is the best, most wonder-ful teacher of all. Our experiential

learning programs are carefully woven and created around the theme of nature. We try to make the world of animals, birds, insects and amphibians in the backdrop of lakes, rivers, farms and mountains interesting to learn from. When Ecomantra was conceptualised in the year 2000 as an ecotourism company, we were looking at eco holidays as our primary activity. To make our eco holidays more inter-esting and meaningful for visitors, Ecoman-tra’s founders Mahrukh and Ravi Goel, began adding new activities in the form of eco adventures and interactive programs. Simultaneously, we began offering work-shops and interactive programs to pro-mote our message of nature conservation in the city. Today the most active demand we receive for these programs is from corporate groups, among the age bracket of 20 to 35 years and families who enjoy these programs at our camps and resort. Our experiential programs focus on bringing a sense of wonder among participants and strengthen the bonds among participants. Visitors love the new experiences and ap-preciate the knowledge they gain, as seen in the feedback they give to us. Peer pres-sure plays a great role as a positive element. If a one sees another participant holding

Ecomantra Nature Adventures

Address: 19, Rajas-than Technical Centre,Patanwala Estate, LBS Marg, Ghatko-par West, Mum-bai - 400086, India Tel: +91 22 25007347 Web: www.ecomantra.org

Lessons from Nature: Experiential learning at

Ecomantra

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Socially the community has changed in sev-eral ways. There are more decision making venues beyond the original communal board of directors. Now there is a Tourism Commit-tee, a modestly functional PTA, a community office, etc. There are also health and educa-tional safety nets and increased capacity to negotiate with public and private corporations. Environmentally, the community has set aside areas for conservation, mostly around the tour-ism resources – the lodge, the lake, the clay lick. They pay for a government ecotourism conces-sion and have fines for people caught poach-ing in off limits area, which they have applied. However, amongst the unforeseen effects of the project is the distribution of dividends amongst families (rather than reinvestment in community projects) which in turn has caused all sorts of diverse family investments or ex-penditures, much like a free market scenario. Furthermore, outside of the reserved ar-eas, a business as usual scenario still un-folds, albeit increased income accelerates it. The community has had its share of inter-nal conflict over the decisions of how to spend its dividends, and often after diffi-cult meetings, is learning to cope with con-flict. Families have tended to keep two homes – one in the city, and one in the farm. It may be that the community has more problems than it did twelve years ago, but better prospects of solving them!

Could More Problems Mean MORE

Solutions?

Jorge Espinoza is among the most experienced expert guides at Rainforest Expeditions, and is also an author of several pieces for local newspapers.

BY JORGE ESPINOZA COLÁN

In Peru, twelve years of institution-al life is reason to write home about. That is why, twelve years after its signa-

ture, the joint venture contract between Rainforest Expeditions (RFE) and the Infi-erno Native Community (CNI) which gave birth to Posada Amazonas, is still news. Located in the Amazon district of Tambopata, adjacent to its namesake 1.5 million hec-tare reserve, Posada Amazonas is a rustic 30 room ecolodge that hosts guests on intro-ductory three or four night tours. It belongs to the CNI, but is co-managed with RFE, and profits are shared 60/40, respectively. The contract was conceived because the CNI wanted to compete in the tour-ism industry and RFE required a com-mercial location to complement its older, more remote Tambopata Research Center. Along the way, RFE has made sustainable development and conservation projects the core of its business. The project was also designed to generate economic incentives in the community to leave forest stand-ing. A brief analysis of each arena follows. Economically, the community receives its most significant impacts from dividends and employments, including over a dozen bilingual guides. These have signified an increase on community families annual in-come. Succesful communal suppliers include small handicrafts, port, ethnobotanical serv-ice and fish farm/ restaurant companies.

Rainforest Expedi-tions (TIES Business member) operates three award winning Amazon lodges: Posada Amazonas (30 rooms), Refugio Amazonas (24 rooms), and Tambopata Research Center (18 rooms). Each Amazon lodge uncovers a wide array of fascinating eco-tourism experiencies in the middle of our jungle, in the heart of the amazon rainforest.www.rainforest.com.pe

Photos by Rain-forest Expeditions

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media@ecotourism.org

YOUR AD HERE

TIES Lifetime Achievement

AwardTIES’ Lifetime Achievement Award was established in October 2008, and presented at the Ecotourism and Sustaianble Tourism Conference. The Award hon-ors individuals who have made significant contribu-tions to TIES and to the global ecotourism commu-nity, and to recognize the distinguished achievements of those who have demonstrated a lifetime commit-ment to promoting ecotourism and responsible travel. TIES will present the award recipient with a lifelong membership, as a valued member of TIES global net-work and a worldwide leader in the field of ecotour-ism. TIES Board of Directors will select the awardee annually based on TIES staff and members’ recom-mendations submitted over the course of the year.

The Award is presented at TIES annual conference and/or during TIES Board of Directors meeting. In addition, TIES will plant native trees in honor of the awardee, ei-ther in the local areas near TIES office location or in the country or region closely affiliated with the awardee. The recipient of the first TIES Lifetime Achieve-ment Award is Chandra de Silva, Founder of the Ranweli Holiday Village (Sri Lanka) and a long-time Board member, supporter and friend of TIES. A pioneering entrepreneur and inspirational lead-er, Chandra’s dedication to ecotourism, conserva-tion and sustainable community development have touched numerous lives in Sri Lanka and beyond. Among many legacies that Chandra’s lifetime achieve-ments have left for TIES is our new tradition of planting trees in honor of the recipients of the Lifetime Achieve-ment Award. Chandra used tree planting as an opportunity to share an experience and to commemorate a special occasion, and invited many guests (including TIES Board members in 2004) to join him in planting trees at Ranweli. In commemoration of Chandra’s receiving the first TIES Lifetime Achievement Award, TIES is supporting the Trees for Life Programme by Responsible Tourism Partnership (RTP) Sri Lanka. The RTP Sri Lanka team has generously agreed to plant indigenous trees in memory of Chandra, with 100% of TIES memorial donation. In addition, TIES has become a member of American Forests. TIES’ mem-bership contribution and memorial donation to Ameri-can Forests will plant 25 trees in honor of Chandra. Nominations may be submitted electronically to TIES Board Chair and Executive Director (ed@ecotourism.org), with the subject line, “Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination.”

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Membership! Membership@ecotourism.org Learn How:

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EcoCurrents

BY TRACY BERNO

Oceania Sustainable Tourism Alliance

The Project

Mai Kana links sustainable agriculture, sus-tainable cuisine and the tourism industry by promoting the “farmer-to-table” concept.

The People The project is by and for passionate Pa-cific people. The following partners col-laboratively implement Mai Kana: Robert Oliver, a Fiji raised and Caribbean/US based chef who is best known for the devel-opment of high profile tropical restaurants

and food program development in the South Pacific, the USA and the Caribbean.

Dr Tracy Berno, formerly the head of the

tourism and hospitality department at Univer-sity of the South Pacific.

Shiri, a talented photographer and book/

graphic designer based in Fiji.

Food and Tourism in

the South Pacific The South Pacific has at its doorstep an abundance of wonderful tropical and ex-otic agricultural products. Despite this abundance of locally produced foods and food products, in most South Pa-cific island nations, much of the food served in the tourism sector is import-ed, lacks innovation and fails to deliver a “South Pacific experience” to visitors.

Mai Kana: Linking Pacific Island Agriculture

and Tourism The Mai Kana partners want to ad-dress this lost opportunity. Food is an essential component of the tour-ism industry. It is obvious, but it warrants mention that all tourists eat when they travel, and dining is consistently in the top three most popular tourist activities. Food and beverage consumption represents a significant part of tourist expenditure. Yet for many countries, particularly devel-oping countries, food represents one of the highest areas of economic leakage in tourism. The degree to which tourism in a country re-lies on imported foods can significantly affect the social and economic impacts of tourism. Importing foods results in a loss of foreign exchange earnings and lost opportunities to expand and modernize local food pro-duction and processing. Potentially, this may result in a loss of local income and employment, particularly in rural areas. Enhancing linkages between agriculture and tourism presents significant opportunities for stimulating local production, retaining tour-ism earnings in the locale, and improving the distribution of economic benefits of tourism to rural people, hence contributing to rural pov-erty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods.

“Farmer to Table” One way of linking sustainable agriculture, sustainable cuisine and the tourism indus-try is the development and promotion of the “farmer-to-table” concept, which can sup-port sustainable livelihoods and community development by increasing demand for local products and associated micro-enterprise.

“Natural ecosystems (e.g., forests, wetlands, grasslands, estuaries, open space) provide a variety of “ecosystem services” (e.g., carbon sequestrations, water purification, flood con-trol, soil regeneration, wildlife habitat, polli-nation, nutrient recy-cling, viewscapes) that underpin human wel-fare.” Read more: www.sandersinternational.ne t /ecosys tem.html

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When implemented well, the farm-er-to-table concept can help ef-fectively link sustainable local food production and tourism activi-ties, resulting in positive outcomes for a broad range of beneficiaries. The tourism and hospitality industry can take advantage of the growing interest in sustainable food systems and sustainable cuisine by promot-ing and using more local products throughout the industry, while at the same time, meeting needs for an authentic, quality experience.

The Cookbook The first project for the Mai Kana partners is to publish a high quality cookbook, MAI KANA: The food and flavors of Fiji and the South Pacific. MAI KANA is more than just a cookbook, however. Through their shared passion for the peoples, cultures and foods of the South Pacific, Rob, Tracy and Shiri aim to create a book that will improve the quality of fresh, healthy food offered to the South Pacific’s tourism markets. The book will reflect the broad range of both traditional and contemporary

Enhancing linkages between agricul-ture and tourism presents signifi-cant opportunities for stimulating local production, retaining tourism earnings in the locale, and improv-

ing the distribution of economic benefits of tourism to rural people.

Pacific cuisines and will include tradi-tional recipes and some not-so-tradition-al recipes, all using local ingredients. MAI KANA is not only an informative source on traditional and contemporary cuisines of the Pacific, but also an oppor-tunity to contribute to and invest in the sustainable development of the region. Underpinned by a philosophy of sus-tainable tourism, sustainable liveli-hoods and sustainable cuisine, MAI KANA will promote the beauty of the South Pacific region and its cultures. The book has at its core the devel-opment of a Pacific cuisine cook-ery book which will highlight and raise awareness of Pacific foods as part of the tourism product. The book will also serve as a train-ing tool for agricultural producers, hotel chefs and hospitality/catering educators, on the supply and use of local products in the tourism sector. With proceeds of the book, the partners aspire to contribute to the establishment of sustainable farmer-to-table initiatives through-out the South Pacific region.

©Living Pacific (2008)

©Living Pacific (2008)

©Living Pacific (2008)

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EcoCurrents

Try a South Pacific Recipe by Robert Oliver

“Grilled River Prawns with Guava Jelly Glaze and Pineapple Mint Salsa”

This recipe works well with any good shrimp - but Fiji River Prawns are of stand-out quality and be sure to look out for them on menus if you are in Fiji. Sweet and slightly briny, they hold up well to a sweet hot sauce.

Guava Jelly is made when guavas are in season and is a staple in all Pacific and Caribbean households. There are many terrific commercial brands available - I have never had one I didn’t like, but my good friend Viti Whippy keeps me in steady supply and hers is rich and delicious.

When the coup happened in Fiji in 2000, I called her from New York to see how things were. Her pri-mary concern was that the coup had happened when guava season was about to begin, and any short-age in sugar supply caused by the political situa-tion would be ruinous to her guava jelly production! When I lived in Fiji, my mother would look at the bird droppings in March or so to see sign of guava seeds, and when spotted, we would jump into the car and drive up the Rewa Delta region to where there were miles of guava trees. We would fill the trunk with the aromatic fruit, and eat and cook and consume guavas relentlessly, disgustingly for days. I have rarely seen guava used in a savory dish, but its intense flavor holds up well to chili and ginger.

For the Salsa:

- 1 pineapple (keep the pineapple top with a li�le of its base intact for presenta�on)- 1 cup loose packed mint leaves- 3 cups diced seasonal fruit such as watermelon, pawpaw, mango or the like, cut into a ½ dice- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil- 2 teaspoon masala or other favorite fragrant spice (5 spice or coriander are good also)- 3 local limes

Ingredients:- 25 pieces of medium size shrimp, or Fiji river prawns, head and tail on, body shell and gut tract removed- 25 bamboo skewers

For the Guava Jelly Glaze:- 3 cups guava jelly (mine is made by Vi� Whippy, and hers in legendarily the best)- 2-3 tablespoon sweet chili sauce (depending on desired heat) OR 2-3 fine chopped fresh chilis- 1 inch of fresh ginger, finely sliced- 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup- juice of 2 limes (the small orange ones are good)

1. Thread the prawns onto the skewers lengthwise.

2. Mix the guava jelly glaze ingredients together in a small pot and warm quickly to combine.

3. Skin and core the pineapple and cut into large chunks. Toss in the oil with the masala or other spice. Grill or pan sear the pineapple, making sure it browns a li�le. Cool and cut into a ½ “ dice and combine with the other salsa ingredients.

4. Grill the prawns and generously brush with the guava jelly glaze and serve with the salsa.

What’s it good for?

Guava: Very high in Vitamin C

Chew baby guava leaves for “running stomach” - which can be caused by eating too

many guavas!

Photos by Tracy Berno

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TIES Annual Report: Our Projects and

Milestones in 2008OUR NETWORK: Members around the World • Sponsors & Supporters

EDUCATION: Events & Outreach • University Consortium Field Certificate Program

GLOBAL IMPACT: GSTC Partnership • Your Contribution • 2009 and Beyond

Uniting Conservation, Communities and Sustainable Travel

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EcoCurrents

Members around the World

Sponsors & Supporters

OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

Where are TIES members?

TIES Global Network of Members

Quick Overview:Membership growth in 2007-2008: 28%*Number of countries represented by members: 90Local, na�onal and regional ecotourism associa�ons: 55

*Increase in the total number of members from 2007 to 2008.

Membership Benefits Updates:

All new members joining at the Business member-level will receive a free copy of the bestselling book “The Ecolodge Sourcebook for Planners & Developers”

New video and mul�-media resources, includ-ing the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Con-ference 2008 (ESTC 2008) session videos, are available for download to TIES members of all levels.

TIES members of all levels receive special discounts to the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Con-ference 2009 (ESTC 2009) and other TIES events.

In addi�on to the marke�ng opportuni�es through TIES website, TIES members receive up to 50% discounts on adver�sing in EcoCurrents and Digital Traveler eNewsle�ers.

*See: www.ecotourism.org or contact membership@ecotourism.org for details

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Members around the World

Sponsors & Supporters

OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

TIES Sponsor & Supporter Members 2008 -2009 La Selva Jungle Lodge: Founded in 1986 in pris-tine primary rainforest of Ecuador, this Ecolodge continues to reinvent ecotourism as it has since it intuited the movement which was only a faint mur-mur 25,000 guests ago. TIES member since 2008. Lapa Rios Ecolodge: Lapa Rios is a model ecotourism project that strives to show that “a forest left standing is worth more than one cut down.” A pioneer in sustaina-ble tourism and environmentally sound business practic-es, Lapa Rios has won neumerous international awards. Legitify: Legitify offers Digital Media Professional Services and Publishing Tools. Legitify designs web-sites, produces content for websites, and devel-opes sophisticated tools for digital content man-agement online. Legitify has been a member of TIES and avid supporter of ecotourism since 1998. Leisure Hotels: Leisure Group values India’s rich natural heritage, and supports various eco-friend-ly activities and community initiatives through the Group’s propertoes. TIES member since 2007. Lindblad Expeditions: A world leader in ad-venture travel, Lindblad continues to pro-vide real value to guests and to the local com-munities, following the belief that business and conservation go hand in hand. TIES member since 2004. Maho Bay Camps: Maho Bay Camps opened in 1976 on the US Virgin Islands, based on the philoso-phy that environmental sensitivity, human comfort and responsible consumption are all compatible and that they can enhance your vacation experience. Mithun: A national leader in sustainable design and urbanism, fresh ideas have emanated from Mit-hun since 1949. Through an innovative blend of de-sign, technology and nature, Mithun creates plac-es that excel in beauty, spirit and performance. OARS: OARS strives to enrich people’s lives by providing outstanding adventure experiences. Since 1969, OARS has been actively supporting awareness, deeper appreciation, and preserva-tion of the world’s rivers and natural ecosystems. Rivers Fiji: Rivers Fiji is committed to sustain-able tourism practices and works very closely with neighboring riverside villages. Rivers Fiji guides are local experts who grew up along the rivers and know their environment better than anyone. Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge: Sadie Cove was built by hand from local driftwood and re-claimed barn lumber by Alaska pioneer, Keith Iver-son. The Lodge has been benchmarked by Green Globe International. TIES member since 2008. Trans Niugini Tours: Trans Niugini Tours is Papua New Guinea’s leading inbound tour operator. Trans Niugini Tours owns and operates a number of award winning Wilderness Lodges in Papua New Guinea. Worldnomads: World Nomads travel insurance is available to people from over 150 countries. Through its Footprints initiative, World Nomads gives back to communities by contributing to social and educational projects that help improve the lives of local people.

Adventure Life Journeys: Adventure Life is com-mitted to providing quality small group tours that have a positive impact on the local culture and en-vironment. Each tour is designed to present the best of each region. TIES member since 2001. Alaska Wildland Adventures: Alaska Wildland Adventures has operated tours, lodges, and wil-derness adventure vacations in Alaska for over 31 years, with the goal of offering a high quality, au-thentic Alaskan adventure. TIES member since 1991. Canadian Mountain Holidays Inc. (CMH): With the vision to be the leading sustainable tour-ism operator in North America, CMH collabo-rates with employees, governments, business, scientists, and local communities to operate as an in-tegral part of the community. TIES member since 2002. Ecocamp Patagonia: Based in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Ecocamp Patagonia is the first hospitality company in Chile to receive the prestigious ISO14001 Environmental Manage-ment System certification. TIES member since 2007. Ecoventura: Ecoventura is dedicated to preserving the ecological integrity of the Galapagos Islands for both its scientific value and economic benefit through various ongoing conservation projects including Smart-Voyager and the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund. Finca Rosa Blanca Country Inn: Since 1985, Finca Rosa Blanca has had one important goal in mind: to leave the minimum trace on the local environment. Finca Rosa Blanca operates in a sustainable manner, through regenerating resources, raising social con-sciousness and providing educational opportunities. Fachhochschule Eberswalde: Eberswalde Univer-sity of Applied Sciences offers Germany’s only Master program in Sustainable Tourism Management, focusing on destination management, CSR, sustainable market-ing, ecotourism and tourism in developing countries. Holbrook Travel: With the goal of helping help travel-ers experience incredible journeys, Holbrook trips show-case the world’s natural and cultural wonders. Through these journeys, Holbrook encourages travelers to truly embrace travel and to seek new ways to see the world. InkaNatura Travel: InkaNatura Travel is the only leading tour operator in Peru owned by a nonprofit conservation group, Peru Verde. InkaNatura contributes to the mainte-nance of national parks, reserves, and archaeological sites. International Expeditions: A founding mem-ber of TIES, International Expeditions offers envi-ronmentally responsible expeditions to some of the world’s most remarkable places, providing guests with the opportunity to enhance their appreciation for the natural and cultural wonders of the world. Intrepid Travel: For travelers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world. With a huge variety of travel styles available, Intrepid travelers explore the world’s most amazing places. Jungle Expeditions: Through special itineraries and el-egant River Boats, expert naturalist guides and crew will lead you on a voyage to discover our 20 year old secret: the Majestic Amazon Jungle! TIES member since 2008.

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EcoCurrents

OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

Events & Outreach

UCFC Program

DT Eco-Tour April 30, 2008

Focusing on key principles of ecotourism and sustainable travel, DC Eco-Tour explored Rock Creek Park, the American Indian Museum, the Senate Rain Garden, the Anacostia Water-shed and the National Arboretum. Featuring expert interpretation on DC’s green initiatives, green transportation and local/organic meals and snacks, the DC Eco-Tour offered an innova-tive opportunity to experience the Washing-ton area for both local residents and visitors. DC Eco-Tour Sponsors & Partners: Anacos-�a Watershed Society (AWS), Caribou Cof-fee, Honest Tea, Na�onal Museum of the American Indian, Sidwell Friends School

Public Forum: Indigenous Business Leaders in Ecotourism April 30, 2008

Offering dynamic perspectives on conser-vation, cultural issues, and sustainable business practices, this international fo-rum featured the following expert speakers

- Sylvie Blangy, TIES Board member and internation-al expert on Indigenous community destinations.- Lennart Pittja, Founder, Pathfinder Lapland, a leading Sami ecotourism company in Sweden - Dan Jonasson, Director, Swedish Ecotourism Society

Public Forum Partners: Swedish Ecotourism Society, the Embassy of Sweden

Ecotourism Gala & Auc�on May 1, 2008

Showcasing many of the finest ecotourism destina-tions and companies from around the world, TIES’ Ecotourism Gala & Auction featured an exclusive collection of eco-holiday packages, generously donated by TIES members from around the world. Alexandra Cousteau, Co-Founder of EarthEcho In-terna�onal, was the guest speaker at the Gala. Granddaughter of legendary explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, she is an inspira�onal social environmen-tal advocate dedicated to promo�ng conserva�on and sustainable management of water resources.

Ecotourism Gala & Auc�on Partners: House of Swe-den, Washington DC

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OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

Events & Outreach

UCFC Program

Ecotourism and Sustainable Development in El Salvador Workshop February 25-27, 2008

As part of a collabora�ve project by TIES and FUNDEMAS (the Busi-ness Founda�on for Social Ac�on) in El Salvador, this workshop aimed to establish a na�onal strategy for the sustainable development of tourism through effec�ve partner-ships among various stakehold-er groups and decision makers.

Addressing key na�onal and interna�onal stakeholder groups, the work-shop featured interna�onal experts represen�ng the Conven�on on Bio-logical Diversity (CBD), the U.S. Agency for Interna�onal Development (US-AID), the George Washington University, and the private sector groups.

The workshop par�cipants also engaged in a site visit in the Western re-gion of El Salvador, highligh�ng the areas where the Improved Manage-ment and Conserva�on of Cri�cal Watersheds Project by USAID is taking place.

The development of El Salvador’s na�onal strategy for ecotour-ism and sustainable development recognizes the importance of promot-ing economic growth that supports the conserva�on of the environment and natural resources, while s�mula�ng local economies and improving the qual-ity of life in rural areas through alterna�ve and innova�ve means of produc�on.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008 (ESTC 2008) October 27-29, 2008

Held in Vancouver, BC, Canada, the ESTC 2008 was a�ended by more than 400 par-�cipants represen�ng over 40 states and provinces in the United States and Canada, and 26 countries from around the world.

The conference featured expert presentations by a wide range of ecotourism and sustainable tourism professionals and community stake-holders. Addressing critical issues and chal-lenges facing the tourism industry in the US and Canada, these presentations offer case stud-ies on latest industry trends, critical views on current problems and innovative solutions.

ESTC 2008 Des�na�on Host: Bri�sh Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts

Kelly Bricker, TIES Chair, and Mikael Castro, TIES Director of Special Events, at the ESTC 2008.

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EcoCurrents

OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

Events & Outreach

UCFC Program

What is the UCFC Program? TIES’ exci�ng new educa�onal ini�a-�ve, the University Consor�um Field Cer�ficate (UCFC) Program, works col-labora�vely with member universi�es to ad-minister an ecotourism/sustainable tourism cer�ficate of study applicable to a range of academic disciplines and degree programs.

UCFC Vision: All travel professionals will demonstrate an inher-ent, reality-based understanding of the principles of ecotour-ism and sustainable tourism programming and development.

UCFC Mission: To foster a holis�c understanding of ecotour-ism and sustainable tourism programming and development through the educa�on of mul�-disciplinary students and professionals.

Who are the UCFC Participants?

This program is for those who want to develop a holistic understand-ing of structuring, programming, and implementing ecotourism and sustainable tourism. The UCFC certificate will ensure an educational foundation in ecotourism and sustainable tourism, with a combina-tion of flexible and standardized components, including experiential and service learning opportunities, and internationally diverse opportunities.

Meet the UCFC Member Universities

Participating universities (as of December 2008): California Polytechnic University, North Carolina State University, Universi-ty of Minnesota, University of Utah, and West Virginia University.

“What a great opportunity learn side by side with professionals as

I get my degree!” - University of Utah Graduate Student

UCFC Contact Informa�on:Dr. Kelly Bricker, TIES Execu�ve Director and TIES UCFC Chair

Jeremy Schultz, UCFC Outreach CoordinatorEmail: ucfc@ecotourism.org

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OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

GSTC Partnership

Your Contribution

2009 and Beyond

Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Workshop at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008

(ESTC 2008), October 27, 2008, Vancouver, Bri�sh Columbia, Canada

STSC: Sustainable Tour-ism Stewardship Counsil

Tourism businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by mee�ng the social and environ-mental standards created by leading third-party cer�fica�on programs.

There are more than 50 na�onal and interna�onal cer�fica�on pro-grams for sustainable tourism, and more are being created every year.

But how can the public tell which of these programs are credible?

How can tourism businesses choose which sets of standards will have

legi�macy?

And how can tourists be confident that those businesses are serious

about social and environmental ac-countability?

In response to these challenges, a coali�on of tourism industry associa-�ons, NGOs and government agencies has been working to create the Sus-tainable Tourism Stewardship Counsil (STSC) - an global umbrella organiza-�on that would set universal minimum standards for cer�fica�on programs

The GSTC Partnership is a coali�on of 25 organiza�ons working together to foster in-creased understanding of sustainable tourism prac�ces and the adop�on of universal sustainable tourism principles. The Partnership, which was ini�ated by Rainforest Alli-ance, the United Na�ons Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Na�ons Foun-da�on, and the United Na�ons World Tourism Organiza�on (UNWTO), launched the Sustainable Tourism Criteria at the World Conserva�on Congress in October 2008.

These criteria will serve as the minimum standard that any tourism business should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural re-sources while ensuring tourism meets its poten�al as a tool for poverty allevia�on.

TIES is a member of the GSTC Partnership Steering Commi�ee, along with a number of other organiza�ons represen�ng both public and private sectors, including: Car-ibbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), Conde Nast Traveler, Conserva�on Interna�onal, the Conven�on on Biological Diversity (CBD), Expedia, Inc., Interna-�onal Hotel & Restaurant Associa�on (IH&RA), IUCN, Ecotourism Kenya, Sabre/Traveloc-ity, Solimar Interna�onal, Sustainable Travel Interna�onal, Tourism Concern, and VISIT.

Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) Partnership

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EcoCurrents

OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

GSTC Partnership

Your Contribution

2009 and Beyond

Giving Back to the Global Ecotourism CommunityYour membership contributions, financial and in-kind donations in 2008 have helped TIES give back to conservation, communities and sustainable travel in a numbe r of ways:

Supporting Future Ecotouriosm Leaders As part of our efforts to support students in ecotourism and sustainable tourism, TIES offers opportunities for students to participate in the net-working and knowledge sharing experiences through our programs, provid-ing access first-hand knowledge of the latest developments in the industry, and gain practical skills. Through student discounts, volunteer opportuni-ties, and scholarships sponsored by partners, TIES made a contribution of over US$8,700 to help more than 50 students participate in the ESTC 2008.

ESTC Student Scholarship Sponsors: Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Thompson Rivers University.

Sharing Opportunities for Indigenous Business Leaders Recognizes the important roles that Indigenous peoples play, as business leaders and environmental stewards, in the sustainable growth of tour-ism, TIES is committed to supporting initiatives promoting and strength-ening Indigenous peoples’ voices in the global tourism industry. TIES has established the Indigenous Leaders Fund, a donation-based scholarship fund that will contribute to supporting Indigenous leaders’ participation in the ESTC and other TIES conferences and workshops. Through special discounts and scholarships sponsored by TIES and partners, we made a contribution of over US$4,800 to support Indigenous leaders’ participation in the priority interest workshop “Indigenous Business Leaders in Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism” (October 27, 2008) and the ESTC 2008 conference.

ESTC Indigenous Leaders Scholarship Supporters: the Tourism Company, Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, Canadian Ecotourism Services, Hitesh Mehta, HM Design.

Strengthening Our Network of Ecotourism Networks Providing the vital links between governments, NGOs, businesses and citi-zens, our partners in local, national and regional ecotourism associations are the nucleus of the global movement for ecotourism. TIES is proud to serve as an umbrella organization for ecotourism associations around the world. TIES offers complimentary membership to not-for-profit, non-governmen-tal and multi-stakeholder ecotourism associations that serve as national or regional bodies supporting ecotourism businesses and organizations.

Sustaining Ecotourism InitiativesAs the world’s oldest and largest ecotourism organization, TIES is commit-ted to promoting the principles of ecotourism and responsible travel. With the goal of uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel, TIES continues to serve as the global source of knowledge and advocacy in ecotourism - through our advocacy campaigns, training and education programs, events and outreach, online networks, and membership servic-es. Please see more news and updates from TIES at www.ecotourism.org.

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OUR NETWORK | EDUCATION | GLOBAL IMPACT

GSTC Partnership

Your Contribution

2009 and Beyond

Leading the Efforts to Make Tourism SustainableTogether with our members and partners, TIES continues to promote efforts to make tourism a viable tool for bio-cultural conservation and sustainable development.

ESTC 2009 - Portland, Oregon, USAThe Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2009 (ESTC 2009) will be held in Portland, Oregon, USA, from November 2-4, 2009. The ESTC 2009 will be co-hosted by our 2009 destination hosts: Travel Portland and Travel Oregon (TIES Sponsor & Supporter Members). Building on the suc-cesses of the past conferences, and the lessons learned from the collec-tive experience of the ecotourism and sustainable tourism community, the ESTC 2009 will continue to seek sustainable change for bio-cultural conservation, with renewed and strengthened focus on solutions, implementation, and action.

Learn more & Get involved: www.ecotourismconference.org

GSTC as a Practical Tool for Businesses and CommunitiesTIES is organizing workshops on implementation of the GSTC for communi-ties and ecotourism operators. These workshops will assist ecotourism op-erators and communities interested in learning more about sustainable op-erations in their own work, which ultimately assist bio-cultural conservation and poverty alleviation through tourism around the globe. Presently, TIES is planning to launch the first workshop on implementing the GSTC at the ESTC 2009, in conjunction with the development of key indicators to support this global initiative.

Learn more about the GSTC: www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org

The Climate-Friendly TravelerHow are YOU responding to the challenge of climate change? TIES new e-publication, The Climate-Friendly Traveler, will be launched in Janu-ary 2009. This exciting new addition to our e-library will feature prac-tical tips and resources on how to reduce travelers’ climate foot-print. We encourage our members to share ideas and tips - tell us what you have done to minimize the climate footprint of your travel!

Share your stories and ideas: editor@ecotourism.org

Your Travel Choice Makes a DifferenceThrough our new and ongoing ecotourism initiatives in 2009 and be-yond, TIES will continue to engage a wide range of tourism profes-sionals, community stakeholders and travelers around the world, encouraging everyone to make the travel choice that makes a differ-ence every time. Working with our members and destinations around the world, we aim to positively transform the way the world travels.

Stay tuned for more updates in the coming months: www.ecotourism.org

ECOTOURISMn. Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well- being of local people.

Founded in 1990, TIES is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organiza-tion dedicated to promoting the principles of ecotourism. As the world’s largest and oldest ecotourism association, TIES works with its members and partners in over 90 countries to put sustainability at the top of the global tourism industry agenda.

Learn more and get involved: www.ecotourism.org�

Uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel, ecotourism is about reducing environmental footprint and maximizing positive imacts.

By “teaching a man to fish,” ecotourism empowers communities around the world to fight against poverty and to achieve sustainable development. By offering market-linked long- term solutions to the critical environmental and social challenges, ecotourism helps preserve the planet’s bio-cultural diversity.